1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic deceleration and stoppage controller for a rotary press which can automatically decelerate and stop a rotary press after completion of printing of a scheduled number of copies.
2. Description of the Related Art
The complete specification of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 64-030236 discloses a conventional technique for stopping the printing operation of a printing machine or a rotary press upon completion of printing of a scheduled number of copies.
Specifically, the complete specification discloses a copy-number management apparatus used with a plurality of printing machines which print the same print and which is adapted to simultaneously stop the printing machines after a scheduled number of copies are printed. When the remaining number of prints to be printed (hereinafter simply referred to as a "remaining copy number") has reached to a predetermined value, a deceleration signal is output to the respective printing machines, and when the remaining copy number has reached to zero, a stop signal is output to the respective printing machines.
The complete specification of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 64-030236 describes that when the remaining copy number has attained a predetermined value, a deceleration signal is output to the respective printing machines. Although a calculation for obtaining the remaining copy number is disclosed in detail, with regard to the deceleration and stop signals the specification discloses neither means for outputting these signals nor steps for outputting these signals.
That is, the apparatus disclosed in the specification is adapted to inform an operator or a print controller of a remaining copy number, on the basis of which a deceleration operation is performed independently. In other words, the apparatus disclosed in the specification cannot decelerate and stop the printing machines in an automated manner.
Accordingly, the operation must perform a manual stop operation, which makes labor saving impossible. Further, when the timing of the stopping operation is improper, an excessive number of copies are printed, resulting in wasteful use of printing paper or insufficiency in the number of printed copies. This problem may be solved when the timing of starting deceleration is made earlier in order to prolong the period for low-speed printing. However, this raises a problem of an increased time for completing the printing work and a resultant decrease in operation efficiency.